3 Winter Lawn Pests In Georgia: Identification and Control

You have invested your hard earned time and money into your lawn this fall. You have raked, you’ve weeded, and you applied a pre-winter fertilizer! But you’re not done yet. This is because there are pests looking to make your lawn, their home this winter. These pests can cause serious damage to your lawn, so being able to identify, control, and eliminate them is essential when it comes to having a healthy springtime lawn.

Here are 3 of the more common winter lawn pests in Georgia, and how to identify and control them:

White Grubs

White grubs are soil-inhabiting insects that are very common during the fall months. This is because they are near the surface, feeding on the root parts. The best way to identify them is by their C-shape, white bodies, 6 legs, and brown shading on their back end.

Because grubs feed on the grass’ root systems, areas affected by grubs will turn brown, and the dead part will roll up like carpet. The first step to grub control is removing multiple strips of grass, counting the grubs, and getting an average number of grubs per square foot. If that number lies anywhere between 10-20, maintenance is recommended.

Fall Armyworms

Armyworms are caterpillars, which are the larvae of a moth. When large in number, they can be deadly to your lawn. The best way to identify fall armyworms is the pale, light strip on the top of their bodies, with darker strips on each side. They’re also greasy in appearance and are generally 1 to 1.5 inches long. Because these pests eat grass blades, if you have patches of brown grass with the blades chewed, chances are you have an armyworm infestation.

Chinch Bugs

Chinch bugs are common in Georgia, especially during the summer and fall months. They’re very small, only about a fifth of an inch. These bugs are black and have wings that overlap their bodies, which is very helpful when it comes to identification.

These pests attack your lawn by sucking the moisture out of the grass blades. If you begin to have a drought like issue in your lawn (grass that goes from green… to yellow… to brown), you may have chinch bugs.

Now you know how to identify these pests, and you know how to tell if you may have an infestation in your yard. But what should you do to control these pests? That’s where we come in.

At Environmental Turf Management, we know bugs. We understand the kind of extensive damage they can cause to your lawn, and we don’t want all your hard work to go to waste. That’s why we have our insect control program. Our team has the training, skill, and experience to control, eliminate, and prevent these pests once and for all. Give us a call today at 770-466-0234 to find out how we can help you take back your yard, once and for all.